As of noon May 20, the Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center had received eight additional aborted/stillborn equine fetuses/foals (eight early-term and no late-term) for diagnostic testing/evaluation. The total received since April 28, 2001, is 516.

Columbine Stable's Sligo Bay made a late charge to post a one-length victory in the $108,600 Cinema Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Hollywood Park on Sunday. Ridden by Laffit Pincay Jr., Sligo Bay covered the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds in 1:48.40 on a firm turf course and paid $10.80, $5.20, and $3.20. Learing at Kathy finished second and returned $4.20 and $2.80.

Pebo's Guy, an 11-1 shot, won the $86,625 Kingston Handicap at Belmont for the second time in three years Sunday, scoring by 1 1/2 lengths over John Paul Too. The Kingston was the third leg of a Pick Four wager which returned $253,234.

D. Wayne Lukas-trained Buckle Down Ben, considered a possible entrant for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes (gr. I), breezed four furlongs on Sunday morning at Churchill Downs. A Lukas-trained horse has won the Belmont on five occasions, most recently with Commendable in last year's renewal.

Mrs. G. Rowland Clark & Usk Valley Stud's Zanzibar drew away in deep stretch to a seven-length win over Rosa di Brema in Sunday's Oaks d'Italia (Ity-I) at San Siro. The Michael Bell-trained 3-year-old daughter of In the Wings, out of the Diesis mare Isle of Spice, completed the 1 3/8 miles in 2:16.50 on good turf under jockey Michael Fenton.

Stonerside Stable's Wood Memorial (gr. II) winner Congaree will not run in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), according to a Sports Ticker report. Trainer Bob Baffert will instead give the colt some time off and might run the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) third-place finisher on turf when he returns to the races.

Megans Bluff remained unbeaten on the Churchill Downs turf course, drawing away to win Saturday's $113,600 Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (gr. IIIT) by 2 1/4 lengths over Sitka. The win marks her third in three attempts on the Churchill grass, with all three wins coming under different jockeys.

In the classic film Roman Holiday, Audrey Hepburn portrays a modern day princess who both resists her stringent obligations and yearns for the pedestrian pleasures of everyday life. In an effort to personify the players atop New York's current group of stakes fillies and mares, and Apple of Kent who is poised to join them, you wouldn't be taking great liberty by invoking the image of Hepburn's demure but spirited character into their respective profiles.

The scientific investigation into Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome continues. Numerous farm visits were made by scientists on Friday to further evaluate field and pasture characteristics. Laboratory analysis of samples continues.

As of noon May 19, with the addition of 11 aborted/stillborn equine fetuses/foals (two early-term and nine late-term) submitted to the Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center in Lexington, the total since April 28 has reached 508.

As of noon May 19, with the addition of 11 aborted/stillborn equine fetuses/foals (two early-term and nine late-term) submitted to the Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center in Lexington, the total since April 28 has reached 508.

With two and a half hours to the post, Point Given is the slight favorite at 2-1 in the 126th Preakness Stakes (gr. I) at Pimlico. There is only $423,135 in the win pool. Monarchos and Point Given were both 5-2, but the public has now made Point Given, fifth as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), the narrow choice.

Cheveley Park Stud's homebred Medicean rallied from fifth place in the early going under jockey Kieren Fallon to earn a neck-length victory over Warningford in the final strides of the Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes (Eng-I) on Saturday at Newbury. Pacesetting 7-4 favorite Swallow Flight finished another neck back in third.

As of noon May 18, a total of 11 additional aborted/stillborn equine fetuses/foals (8 late-term and 3 early-term) have been submitted for diagnostic testing/evaluation. The total as of this count since April 28, 2001 is 497.

By being spotted right, License Fee has amassed earnings of over $1 million. No huge hits, just consistency. She did it again Friday at Pimlico, flying home to win the $100,000 Gallorette Handicap (gr. III) over import Starina.

In an effort to show support for industry horse owners and breeders, The Blood-Horse, Inc., announced yesterday it will contribute a portion of its advertising revenues for the remainder of 2001 to the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center at the University of Kentucky, to support further research into the Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome that is currently plaguing the Thoroughbred industry.

In an effort to show support for industry horse owners and breeders, The Blood-Horse, Inc., announced yesterday it will contribute a portion of its advertising revenues for the remainder of 2001 to the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center at the University of Kentucky, to support further research into the Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome that is currently plaguing the Thoroughbred industry.

James Tafel's 4-year-old gelding Unshaded returned to the races Thursday for the first time since winning the Travers Stakes (gr. I) last August, winning a Churchill Downs allowance race by 1 1/2 lengths. Unshaded, who had been sidelined by a tendon injury, completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.11 under Robby Albarado.

Charles Frank, the veterinary advisor to the United Kingdom Thoroughbred Breeders Association, said that in a meeting earlier this week of the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders that a statement was made to advise members not to re-import horses to Europe until a cause of the current health problems in Kentucky was identified. "The last thing we want is a ban," said Frank.

Charles Frank, the veterinary advisor to the United Kingdom Thoroughbred Breeders Association, said that in a meeting earlier this week of the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders that a statement was made to advise members not to re-import horses to Europe until a cause of the current health problems in Kentucky was identified. "The last thing we want is a ban," said Frank.

National City Bank of Kentucky donated $25,000 specifically to support research into the cause and prevention of the equine loss syndrome seen in Central Kentucky and several other states since late April. Also, Robert and Janice McNaris' Stonerside Stable announced that 1% of the purses earned by Congaree in any remaining Triple Crown races and in this year's Breeders' Cup will go to the same research.

Six of the seven horses headed postward for the grade III Maryland Breeders' Cup Handicap are already stakes winners, so the race should prove a compelling appetizer for the main course to follow: the Preakness Stakes (gr. I). The $200,000 Maryland BCH has drawn 3-year-old Flame Thrower and 4-year-old Explicit from California, 5-year-old Istintaj from New York, and 6-year-old Crucible from Canada, plus a group of New England runners.

Quiet Resolve won last year's Dixie Stakes (gr. IIT) by a nose last year over Haami and Holditholditholdit. The 2001 edition of Pimlico's grade II turf event doesn't look to be any easier. Holditholditholdit is back, and joining the fight for Saturday's $200,000 race is North East Bound, who in his last start defeated Quiet Resolve and six other horses in Keeneland's Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (gr. IIT).

A couple promising stakes-placed horses hope to become stakes winners after the $100,000 William Donald Schaefer Handicap (gr. III) at Pimlico Saturday. Notably Frosty, second in Pimlico's Lexington Park Claiming Stakes on April 29, and Perfect Cat, second in Keeneland's Ben Ali Stakes (gr. III) on April 27 are among the nine colts, horses, and geldings contesting the nine-furlong Schaefer.

Jostle will headline what appears to be an evenly matched field in Saturday's $200,000 Pimlico Distaff Handicap (gr. III). Odds-wise, the top three picks are closely bunched with Jostle at 5-2, Strolling Belle at 3-1, and Serra Lake at 7-2.

Dr. Doug Byars, head of the medicine unit at Hagyard-Davidson-McGee in Lexington, Ky., said his clinic alone has seen about 40 cases of pericarditis (fluid in the sac around the heart) in the past two weeks.

As of noon May 17, the Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center had received nine additional aborted/stillborn equine fetuses/foals (four early-term and five late-term) for diagnostic testing/evaluation. The total received since April 28, 2001, is 486.

Heading into Saturday's Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II), much of the interest will be around a pair of horses that have knocked heads in the past -- Guided Tour and Chicago Six. But a handful of challengers could prove strong.

Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winning rider, Jorge Chavez, will be one of eight leading jockeys coming to Prairie Meadows May 21 to compete in Riding Cup IV, a charity fundraising event. Jockey Chavez won the May 5 Derby aboard the John Oxley-owned Monarchos, trained by John Ward.

John Oxley, the owner of Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) favorite Monarchos, announced today that he has extended his pledge of one per cent of purse earnings to the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation if his three-year-old colt wins Saturday's Preakness Stakes and/or the Belmont Stakes June 9. The total purses for the Preakness and Belmont Stakes are each $1,000,000.

Two Item Limit will be seeking her fourth graded stakes victory on Friday in the $200,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. II) at Pimlico Race Course. The 3-year-old filly will face four rivals in the 1 1/8 mile event.